Secret Sanctum of Captain Video: Captain's Theatre THE GREEN HORNET "Eat, Drink and Be Dead!"

Friday, October 14, 2016

Captain's Theatre THE GREEN HORNET "Eat, Drink and Be Dead!"

Continuing our weekly feature "Video Friday"...

In a plotline probably based on one of the original radio show's scripts, the Hornet and Kato take on liquor bootleggers operating out of a local dairy, using it's pasturizing equipment to ferment booze on a massive scale! (Why, in 1966, bars would even need illegally-produced liquor is not explained.)
In an interesting modern twist, the criminals use a helicopter to bomb any who oppose or betray them.
Effective, and leaves no ballistics!
When The Daily Sentinel begins a series exposing the racket, the gangsters grab reporter Mike Axford, threatening to kill him if any further articles are printed.
To save Mike, The Green Hornet cuts himself in on the racket, agreeing to turn Sentinel publisher Britt Reid (aka The Hornet) over to them in exchange for a percentage of profits.
Once inside, Reid sabotages the operation, rescues Mike, and defeats the helicopter bombing-baddies!

Side notes:
The Green Hornet series did quite a bit of location shooting during it's run.
Last week it was a marina.
In this episode, a huge local dairy.

The Green Hornet likes to make use of darkness to make dramatic entrances.
He does it twice in this episode!

Another "cold opening" where we see the criminals in action and no appearance by either Britt Reid or the Green Hornet!

Another on-screen costume change as Britt Reid changes in the back seat of Black Beauty, this time donning his Hornet garb.

Lots of play for The Black Beauty as more of its' gimmicks are introed, including built-in loudspeakers (with tape player so The Green Hornet and Britt Reid can seem to be in two places at once), rear smoke screen projectors, and the (rare for the time) mobile telephone.
Plus, both the flying Hornet Scanner and the car's rocket launchers get a healthy workout!

This is the only episode where the villain's lair is blown up, James Bond style! (And, no, they didn't blow up the actual dairy!)

From October 14th, 1966..."Eat, Drink and Be Dead!"